MSPDP Charter

The Public Debate Program (PDP) is designed to improve student skills for academic and career success. This mission reflects the vision and goals for national and international operations for teachers and students participating in classroom instruction and projects, as well as competitive debating in Youth (dedicated 5th-6th grade leagues), Middle School (5th-8th grade leagues), High School and International High School (9th-12th grade leagues and events), College/University debating (undergraduate and graduate/professional school initiatives), and Community/External debate and discussion events.

The PDP empowers students to develop and practice excellence in critical thinking and oral communication. It educates students to understand and debate, discuss, and deliberate current and historical public policy and educational controversies. It provides curricular information and other resources to integrate public speaking, argumentation, critical listening, note taking, issue analysis, evidence evaluation, and comparative assessment skills in the classroom, and support like professional presentation development in competitive debate and community, non-profit-organization, business, and government events and projects. In addition, the PDP engages teachers, parents, and community members in students’ learning, particularly as volunteer debate coaches and judges.

Any primary or secondary school is eligible to become a member of the Public Debate Program. Membership is required for schools registering for HSPDP, MSPDP, and YPDP league competitions and for any school attending a PDP championship tournament. Students apply independently for international secondary school debate programs (International Public Debate Program – IPDP).

Active members may participate in designated school-based contest debate leagues, sanctioned public debates and discussions, international exchanges, demonstration teams, video productions, essay and academic competitions, sponsored regional and national championships, leadership/professional communication programs, and other designated activities and events. Members receive supplemental and specialized public speaking, argumentation, refutation, and debate and education curricular materials, newsletters, and participation opportunities that are unavailable to non-members. Institutional membership for contest debating – competitive debate league participation – is open to any primary or secondary school educational institution representing students from Grades 5-12 (within USA) or ages 10-18 (outside USA). The charter fee for contest debate leagues will be established each year. The Debate Union has the right to revoke league or school membership at any time.

AGREEMENT

ALL PARTICIPATING SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES, INDIVIDUALS, AND PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF PARTICIPANTS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE MUST READ THIS CHARTER AND MEMBERSHIP DOCUMENT.

The Public Debate Program is an academic program of the Claremont Colleges Debate Union and Claremont McKenna College. All participants and event guests are required to follow the policies and guidelines of the Public Debate Program, Claremont McKenna College, and the Claremont Colleges, as well as additional guidelines from event hosts. Participants will obey federal, state, and local laws, as well as Public Debate Program and campus and site conference guidelines. Participants will follow facility and program guidelines included in registration and welcome materials, distributed in email or other announcements, or posted in campus facilities. Participants shall refrain from any acts of discrimination, including but not limited to discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived ethnic group identification, race, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, sex (gender), color, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, marital status, or parental status. Participants shall refrain from any acts of physical or emotional harassment, including but limited to acts of bullying or teasing. There is a zero-tolerance policy regarding participant agreement violations; any offense will warrant immediate dismissal from the program and site at a participant’s or guest’s own expense. For additional clarification, please review the Claremont McKenna College Policy for Minors on Campus, http://catalog.claremontmckenna.edu/content.php?catoid=16&navoid=1416. The policy governs minors on campus and any external programs sponsored by the Claremont Colleges Debate Union.

On occasion, representatives and employees of the Claremont Colleges Debate Union and Public Debate Program wish to photograph, videotape, and/or interview individuals in connection with Public Debate Program tournaments and other events.

Students, teachers, school administrative staff, and guests attending Public Debate Program tournaments and events may have their name, images or recordings, written work, voice, or verbal statements appear on Public Debate Program websites, in publications, educational tools, or publicity. This material may or may not identify the individual and may be used in subsequent years.

Individual participation and parents permitting students to participate in programming, tournaments, or any other event grant the Public Debate Program staff and its representatives the right to reproduce, use, exhibit, display, broadcast and distribute and create derivative works of these images and recordings in any media now known or later Developed. The Public Debate Program and its assignees own all rights, solely and completely, to the images and recordings. Tournament and event participants and observer guests waive any right to inspect or approve the use of the images or recordings or of any sound or written copy that may transcribe or be used in conjunction with them. Tournament and event participants and observer guests further waive any right to royalties or other compensation arising from or related to the use of the images, recordings, or materials. Tournament and event participants and observer guests release, defend, indemnify and hold harmless the producers from and against any claims, damages or liability arising from or related to the use of the images, recordings or materials, including but not limited to claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, or rights of publicity or copyright infringement, or any misuse, distortion, blurring, alteration, optical illusion or use in composite form that may occur or be produced in taking, processing, reduction or production of the finished product, its publication or distribution. This consent, waiver, indemnity and release is binding on Public Debate Program members, tournament and event participants, and observer guests, and any heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns.

Signing the attached form indicates your disapproval for the use of a Public Debate Program member or tournament and event participants and observer guests name, image or recording, written work, voice, or verbal statements to appear on Public Debate Program websites, in publications, educational tools, or publicity.

DISAPPROVAL OF AGREEMENT

The Public Debate Program agrees that the requested individual’s name, image or recording written work, voice, or verbal statements will not appear on Public Debate Program websites, in publications, educational tools, or publicity. Images may appear in group composites.

Printed Name of Participant

Signature of Participant Date

Signature of Parent/Guardian of Participating Minor (if under 18 years of age) Date

Signature of Parent/Guardian of Participating Minor (if under 18 years of age) Date